System for pH-neutral stable electrophoresis gel

Abstract

A gel and buffer system for gel electrophoresis wherein separation occurs at neutral pH.

We claim: 
     
       1. A continuous buffer gel electrophoresis system comprising: an electrophoresis gel comprising a compound subject to base-catalyzed hydrolysis, the gel uniformly saturated with a gel buffer comprising an organic amine with a pK a  near neutrality and a zwitterionic compound comprising a base that has a pK a  between 6 and 9, the gel buffer having a pH between pH 5.5 and pH 7.5.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, wherein the zwitterionic compound is selected from the group consisting of: N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine, piperazine-N,N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid, 3-(N-morpholino)-propanesulfonic acid, 2-(N-morpholino)-ethanesulfonic acid, N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, 2-(N-morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid, N-tris-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ethanesulfonic acid, N-2-hydroxyethyl-piperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid, N,N-bis-(hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, and 3-(N-tris-(hydroxymethyl)methylamino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1, wherein the compound is polyacrylamide. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1, wherein the compound is urea. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 1, wherein the zwitterionic compound is N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 1, wherein the amine is Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)iminotris(hydroxymethyl)methane. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 1, wherein the gel buffer comprises formamide. 
     
     
       8. A method for performing electrophoresis using a continuous buffer gel, the method comprising: providing an electrophoresis gel comprising a compound subject to base-catalyzed hydrolysis;   uniformly saturating the gel with a gel buffer comprising an organic amine with a pK a  near neutrality and a zwitterionic compound comprising a base that has a pK a  between 6 and 9, the gel buffer having a pH between pH 5.5 and pH 7.5.   
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8, wherein the zwitterionic compound is selected from the group consisting of: N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine, piperazine-N,N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid, 3-(N-morpholino)-propanesulfonic acid, 2-(N-morpholino)-ethanesulfonic acid, N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, 2-(N-morpholino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid, N-tris-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ethanesulfonic acid, N-2-hydroxyethyl-piperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid, N,N-bis-(hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, and 3-(N-tris-(hydroxymethyl)methylamino)-2-hydroxypropanesulfonic acid. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 8, wherein the compound is polyacrylamide. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 8, wherein the compound is urea. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 8, wherein the zwitterionic compound is N-tris(hydroxymethyl)methylglycine. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 8, wherein the amine is Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)iminotris(hydroxymethyl)methane. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 8, wherein the gel buffer comprises formamide.